


Time to Say Goodbye

by Lazydesk



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Blind Character, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Flashbacks, main character is tiny
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-14
Updated: 2016-11-14
Packaged: 2018-08-31 00:30:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8555605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lazydesk/pseuds/Lazydesk
Summary: Years after the fall of Overwatch Blake Lutz's time has finally run out. When the man hunting down ex-agents comes for her, Blake is forced to remember her fallen friends and happier times.





	1. On This Day In History

**Author's Note:**

> "If I met your man, who was long and tall  
> I'd hit his body like a cannon ball  
> Fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well
> 
> One of these days and it won't be long  
> Call my name and I'll be gone  
> Fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well
> 
> I remember one night, a drizzling rain  
> Round my heart I felt an achin' pain  
> Fare thee well, oh honey, fare thee well"  
> -Fare Thee Well, Oscar Isaac and Marcus Mumford

            “Good morning Ms. Lutz, it is currently six-thirty A.M. would you like me to turn off your alarm or hit snooze?” The soft sound of an AI voice echoed through the apartment. Eyes blinking open, Blake Lutz groaned. It was morning, the air in the apartment cool and bit into her forearms. There were birds singing soft songs outside the window, greeting the day with optimism. Sitting up, she stretched.

            “Turn off the alarm Saya, I am up.” Blake placed her feet on the cool tile floor. Unseeing eyes looked out towards the nearest door. There was something in the air, something ominous.

            “Very good ma’am. There is yet another voice message from Doctor Ziegler, she would like to remind you that there is an active recall for all Overwatch agents and that the individual picking off ex-agents is still at large.” Saya stated, for an AI she was needlessly worrisome.

            “Please ignore all of her messages, I have no interest in speaking with the woman,” Blake sighed. Angela had never known how to give up. It had been years since Blake had spoke to the healer and she had no intentions start up a conversation anytime soon.

            Hand on the wall, she walked to the kitchen and felt for the pot of coffee. Sticking a finger on the inside of the rim of the cup, she filled it until the liquid hit her finger. Taking it black, she simply walked to the dining room and sat down at the counter. It was then she sensed the change in the air, something measurable. Setting down her coffee, Blake pursed her lips together.

            “You finally got to me?” She called to the open air. Something materialized next to her. It lacked a heat signature and it was almost motionless. “It’s rude to keep a lady waiting.” Tipping her chin in the general direction of the figure, she leaned back in the chair.

            “What, no fight left you in you?” The voice was deep and echoed across her soul. After Blake had gone blind her hearing had been enhanced. She never forgot a voice; this one was familiar but eerily lacked a human quality to it. Cocking her head the side, she reached out. Fingertips brush the metal of a gun, sliding down she met the individual’s hand.

            “I haven’t fought in years,” She stated, “Nor could I if I wanted to. Being blind has enhanced some of my senses but I cannot track movement like I used to.” She answered the voice. The man moved, it appeared that he could transfer between corporeal for and intangibility.

            “You may be ready for death Raven but I haven’t decided yet.” The man spoke; this was the Reaper that Angela had warned her about. Death didn’t scare Blake. There had been too many close calls over the years, it had desensitized her. The guilt she carried around like a scar didn’t help either.

            Standing she downed the rest of her coffee and made her way back to the pot.

            “Well, what will make up your mind?” She questioned whilst pouring the cup. The man shifted, the clanking of guns could easily be heard. Heavy chest plate, multiple guns, and military style boots were all familiar.

            “I will ask you one question; were you one the night that the Swiss headquarters blew?” Taken aback she dropped the mug on the ground. It shattered into little pieces at her feet. That night haunted her dreams, caused constant pain.

            “That night,” She paused bitterly, “I was just going a local hospital to visit one of the agents under my command. Even there the blast could be felt, the shock waves were incredible.” There was such sadness in her voice, trepidation. Frozen in place, she could still remember the fear. The smell of burning building materials hit her nose as soon as she reached headquarters. The sounds of soldiers’ cries resounded through the night.

            “What about Morrison and Reyes?” The look on her face reflected unimaginable loss. Blind eyes lost their focus and stared into the distance with a thousand yard stare.

            “They are both gone,” The bitterness in her voice was like poison, “In a single night the two people I loved most destroyed themselves in a fruitless power struggle. I will never understand how two people who were such good friends could fight the way they did.” The man chuckled dark and raspy.

            “Sometimes war doesn’t make sense,” He told her. Blake snorted placed her hand on the counter.

            “It wasn’t a war.” She frowned, “Not to me. Jack and Gabriel were the first people to believe in me. They supported me through my time in the military, even fought for me to have a place in the big leagues despite the fact that I was a woman. When we joined Overwatch, every Sunday we would go to church together. On Friday nights we would all have a beer and laugh about whatever politician had tried to kiss our asses. When I was blinded, they made sure that I wouldn’t be kicked out, got me a strategists position. So when their fight grew dark, I was left behind. I missed the two men who were my friends,” Blake stepped over the broken glass, some of in cutting into the skin of her foot. Leaving bloody footprints in her wake she walked straight up to Reaper and pressed her forehead to the barrel of his gun. Despite her claims that she couldn’t fight, she had excellent spatial awareness. “Make your decision, I grow tired of waiting wraith,” Reaper knew she wasn’t bluffing. There was something off about the woman, a darkness clutching at the frayed edges of her resolve.

             Pulling the gun away from her forehead, Reaper smiled from behind his mask. Under all that anger was still the eighteen year old girl who had captured his heart so easily. Time had not corrupted that.

            “You will live little bird.” He breezed towards the door. As soon as he was gone Blake collapsed to the floor. Heartache once more gripped her and squeezed hard. Sobbing loudly, she placed her head in her hands. It wasn’t spite that had kept her alive all these years, it was cowardice. It had been her destiny to die in that explosion with her best friends. Instead she was so very alone, sitting in her apartment and crying.

            “Saya,” She called out to the unusually silent AI, “Call Angela please,” the quake in her voice wouldn’t go away. After a few moments she heard a click and the shuffling of a phone being brought to an ear.

Ten years previous

            Gabriel Reyes was sure that the world was playing an incredibly cruel trick on him on his only day off in over a month. It was morning, that was for certain. The other thing he knew for certain was that his bed was bouncing, mattress dipping. Slowly he opened his eyes to be met with the sight of his teammate bouncing on his bed.

            “Gabe!” The bed dipped as Blake landed from her jump into the air. “Gabriel, do you know what day it is?” She asked him, soft voice clipping his ears. The call of sleep was casting a shadow over the edges of a tired mind. Before she could lift off again, he wrapped a hand around her ankle. Sprawling onto the bed next to him; their noses brushed each other and Gabriel closed his eyes once more.

            “I don’t care what day it is other than my day off. Now be quiet and let me sleep woman,” He said in a sleep raspy voice. Gentle fingers trailed down his neck and to the base of his spine. When Blake smiled you didn’t need to be looking in her direction to feel it. They were close friends; years of fighting side by side had made them nearly inseparable.

            “It’s you birthday!” She excitedly whispered. Gabriel rolled his eyes and pressed his index finger to the woman’s lips.

            “Shhhhhh, I know that is my birthday woman. Be quiet and let me sleep.” He told her already slipping back into light rest. A light kiss was pressed to his temple and the bed dipped as she attempted to stealthily crawl out of bed. The woman was a grace when fighting but a natural calamity when doing mundane things. “You can stay if you want.” Gabriel managed to sleepily grab her wrist. She was one of the few people he allowed such free physical contact with.

            “Oh alright.” She pulled the covers back and climbed under them, pulling them up to her chin. It was amusing how tiny she could make herself curled up into a ball.

            The two had been dancing around each other for years. He knew she kept a safe distance out of respect for his position within Overwatch. He kept his distance out of respect for her hard work. Any relationship would be taken as a serious hit against all the support he had shown her over the years. Yet at times like this they allowed Gabriel allowed himself a taste of what could be. Lying in bed next to her was comforting; the smell of the citrus shampoo she used filled his nose. The warmth of her body next to his drew him in and he wrapped his left arm around her middle. Despite years of training she had retained her curves and a soft belly. Slowly she scooted back against him and let out a satisfied sigh. This job left little time for things as simple as human interaction. Anyone could get touch starved, especially Blake who seemed to thrive off of it. There was temptation wherever she was and now Blake was pressed against him. Unable to stop himself, Gabriel pressed a kiss to shoulder blade that was exposed. Another soft sigh left her mouth. The arm around her middle tightened. Throwing caution to the wind, he kissed along her neck and across her shoulder. Under his hand he could feel the muscles of her stomach tighten in response. Shakily she turned around in his arms and lay facing him. Big eyes were heavy lidded and full lips were slightly parted. There was want, years of it coming to a head. There was a choice to be made.

            The small fingers of her hand danced against his jawline and the breath hitched in Blake’s chest. Slowly she leaned forward and let her lips brush against his, testing the waters. The hand at her hip gripped tight and the other wound into curly blond hair. A whiny little noise left her lips surprising both of them. Wide eyed, she stilled her movement and waited for him to do something.

            “Do you want to do this?” He asked her seriously. Gripping the front of his shirt, Blake tugged him on top of her. Looking up at him, she caressed his cheek gently.

            “For so long,” It was almost a plea. When he kissed her this time she arched into his touch, hand gripping his neck. The brush of a tongue against his lips had him groaning. The kiss was slow and sensual, both were afraid to go fast and scare the other away. Gabriel ran a hand up her shirt finding purchase against the curve of her waist. One of her limber legs wrapped around his hip and she ground against him. Moving away from her lips, he trailed kisses down her neck. When found a particularly sensitive area he would bite down, leaving a small mark. The heat was almost unbearable. Parting from her skin, he tugged off his shirt. The small hands came to trace the muscles in his back and caress the scars from years of fighting. Blake bit her lip when he tugged on the edge of her own shirt. Lifting up from the mattress she raised her arms over her head. The cotton tank top came off and left her bare breasts exposed. Tattoos covered her ribs and hips, Gabriel blinked in surprise. Taking a moment he analyzed each one. There was Ana’s name and symbol on her left hip in blue ink. A little further up was Jack’s in simple black ink. On her ribs a little below her left breast was his own name in flowing red scrawl. An ornate owl was sat next to his name. Bending down he kissed the mark and then moved his lips up and captured her nipple between his lips. A moan left her throat and her fingers tugged on short brown hair. Running his tongue over the bud, Gabriel listened to the sounds she was making. So responsive from very little stimulation, everything about her was exception.

            Slowly he made his way down her lithe body, stopping ever so often to suck on a sensitive area. Gabriel couldn’t help but be pleased with how she was gripping the headboard and attempting to keep her breathing even. Blake had always had a problem with control. She liked to be in charge, keep her emotions level and measured. In that moment he decided to make her give that up just this once. When he reached her hips, he bit down and sucked a mark onto the pale skin. Sitting up, he slipped his fingers into the waist band of the sweat pants she was wearing and waited for consent.

            “Just take them off already!” She barked. Still he waited for something. Head thrown back against the pillow, she rolled her hips. “Please Gabe,” Smirking he tugged down he pants and undergarments in one go. Blake lay bare before him. Pressing his large hands to her inner thighs, he parted her legs. He wasn’t surprised when she turned her head away from him and closed her eyes. Running his fingers over her slit, he could feel the wetness there. Throwing her legs over his shoulder, he leaned in and ran his tongue over her clit. The legs over his shoulders trembled and she let out a surprisingly loud moan. Tossing a hand over her hips to hold her still, Gabriel took his time. When his fingers slid into her, he felt her tighten around him. She was close and he knew it. It was amusing to watch her lose coherency. Back arched and with her fingers in his hair, Blake was attempting to roll her hips.

            “Please, oh.” She gasped out. It was then that he pulled away and dropped one of her legs off of his shoulder. The look on her face was one of desperation and a bit of anger. It disappeared she felt him yank down the top of his pants. A flush covered her chest and face. Now she was enraptured, eyes never leaving his face.

            “Are you sure you-” She reached out and gripped his chin. There was a salacious and dangerous look in her large green eyes.

            “Stop asking me and just fuck me already!” She snarled at him. Chuckling, he lined himself up and slowly thrust forward. All words left on her lips were silenced. The wet heat was exquisite and soon he was thoroughly buried in her. Blake planted the foot that wasn’t over his shoulder firmly into the mattress and rolled her hips impatiently, taking her own pleasure. Gabriel snorted and pinned her hips to the bed. The strength he had was far superior to hers. Setting a rough and brutal pace, he listened to her whiny moans and loud gasps. Inner walls tightening around him she came quickly and called out his name. Soon after he left out a moan and came. Rolling him onto the mattress, Blake fit herself against his side. They were both breathing heavy and flushed.

            “Happy birthday,” She gasped out. Gabriel looked down at her and laughed, happiness fluttering against his chest. They stayed there in bliss for a while longer before Blake slowly got to her feet. Tugging her shirt over her head and pants back on, he smiled as she left the underwear still on the floor.

            “I am going to make breakfast. Feel free to join me whenever you’re ready.” She bent down and kissed him. Gabriel decided not to tell her about the hickeys that adorned her throat and collarbone. It would be worth the look on jack’s face.


	2. The Lonely

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Two am, where do I begin  
> Crying off my face again  
> The silent sound of loneliness  
> Wants to follow me to bed
> 
> I'm a ghost of a girl  
> That I want to be most  
> I'm the shell of a girl  
> That I used to know well
> 
> Dancing slowly in an empty room  
> Can the lonely take the place of you  
> I sing myself a quiet lullaby  
> Let you go and let the lonely in  
> To take my heart again."  
> -The lonely, Christina Perri

            Cane tapping against the floor, Blake made her way through the airport. It was crowded and people were staring. Many people remembered her face from the good old days. Back then she had been young, optimistic, and beautiful; now she was none of those things. When she got to the baggage claim she waited patiently for whatever agent had been sent to retrieve her.

            “Lookin’ good as always Blake.” A southern drawl came from a little to her left side. Jesse McCree held a special place in her heart; she had been one of the first people to come into contact with him after he left his gang. It was hard to imagine him standing in the middle of an airport in his ridiculous cowboy get up.

            “Jesse, I didn’t expect them to send you.” Reaching out with her free hand she caught the edge of his shirt and tugged him close. Wrapping her arms around him, they embraced. It had been so long since she’d seen anyone that had been a part of Overwatch. He still smelled the same, like cloves and whiskey. “When Swiss headquarters fell you just disappeared.” Pulling away Jesse looped his arm with hers. With a steady and even pace he led her to the baggage area.

            “Well when duty calls you come running. How you been darling’ haven’t heard much about you since the UN interviews.” Blake chuckled darkly and leaned against him.

            “Mostly puttering around Colorado,” She told him, “I work for a private security firm, do most of their hiring and firing.” The soft cotton of Jesse’s shirt was worn and frayed around the sleeve, tugging on it she pointed to what she hoped was the conveyer belt. “My suitcase has my symbol painted on the side, can’t miss it.” She told him.  A moment of silence lapsed between them before Jesse leaned forward and yanked her suitcase off the belt.

            “Well you can tell me all about it in the car,” He said, voice filled with the sunshine she had missed.

            Ten years ago no one could have forced her into a car with Jesse McCree. Now that she was blind she couldn’t see how bad his driving was. The young man who joined at the threat of imprisonment had quickly become her favorite of the young members. Jesse had been a little shit and constantly questioned authority. Gabriel had found it amusing and Jack had hated it more than anything. Blake, well she just bailed the kid out of some his more serious offenses.

            “So you finally going to let Angela mess with your eyes?” The question made Blake’s skin crawl. The visit from Reaper had raised questions, ones that could be dangerous to have answered. There was fight in the future. One that would likely end her if she could not see.

            “Yes, although I am not excited at the notion.” She answered him tersely.

            Blake liked Angela, she really did. The woman had a habit of taking things too far. The first time she had truly been terrified of the woman was when the Shimada boy had been injured. The injuries he had sustained had been catastrophic. Through cybernetics Angela had kept him alive…it would have been kinder to let him die. Incased in metal, Genji Shimada was more machine that human. Blake remembered the fight she had with Angela. The morality of what the doctor had done was more than questionable. It wasn’t long after that Blake had extensively revised her will, no measure past normal life saving means were to be taken. No cybernetics without her consent. No experiments that might alter the state of her body. In other words nothing but good old fashioned medicine. Jack had tried for months to get her to agree to ocular implants. Blake had refused. Now there was little choice.

            The headquarters smelled and sounded like any covert base, oil and sweat. Jesse led her past recruits and agents that she knew were staring like star struck teens. Some of them probably were in there teens; Blake had been eighteen when she joined the military and met Jack. It all felt a little overwhelming. There were too many voices and smells. After being isolated for so long there was just so much to process. That was until she heard two voices that made her feel at home.

            “I’m just saying, European chocolate is much better than the American garbage they have floating around here.” Lena’s chipper voice proclaimed. Winston made a noise of agreement low in his throat.

            “Although you must admit they do have some good burgers.” Laughing Blake followed Jesse to them.

            “Oh Lena, someday I will take you to my hometown and you can try the best chocolate in the United States. Enstrom’s toffee and chocolate is to die for.” Immediately she got an armful of the happy little woman. Spikey hair brushed against Blake’s cheek.

            “Blake, you look good love!” Lena chirped happily. Chuckling she reached out and felt along Lena’s face still unmarred by time.

            “I would return the compliment but-” She trailed off with a smile. Tugging on her arm, Lena led her to Winston; hands outstretch she came into contact with the scientist’s chest. Large arms wrapped around her and Blake felt the anxiety slip away.

            “Blake what are you doing here?” Winston asked. Unfolding her cane, she tapped around until she met the edge of the bench. Cautiously she sat down and looked in the direction of the three.

            “Angela is going to perform an operation on me this afternoon. It will enhance my hearing and allow me see…kind of.” Blake explained, “The mercenary who has been killing Overwatch agents came for me. The thing is I recognized the voice, it was distorted but familiar. He also has information about Overwatch. We are probably dealing with someone who was once a member.” The voice had been haunting her, so familiar that it had left her with chills.

            “Well whoever they are, we will find them!” Lena exclaimed. There was a whoosh of air that could only be her thrusting a fist into the air. Giving them a half-smile, Blake got to her feet.

            “Oh I’m not worried,” She told them, “Now will someone please escort me to Angela, I am sure that she would prefer me not to be late.”

            The IV stung but was quickly replace with the floating sensation you could only get with a combination of morphine and valium. The bed was slowly rolling her towards the operating room. Jesse was walking slowly beside her babbling about his time as a vigilante to take her mind off of things. Slowly they came to a stop and Jesse’s conversation ceased.

            “McCree, you will have to wait along with the rest outside in the waiting room.” Angela’s crisp voice came from beside her. A gentle hand came to rest on Blake’s shoulder. “Blake I assure you that everything will be fine.” The woman attempted to comfort her. Shifting her eyes to the side she looked up at the woman’s face.

            “Just be careful please. If you deafen me with your amplifiers just give me a heart attack I am getting too old to deal with this shit.” Blake told her. Jesse laughed and rubbed her hand.

            “See you on the other side darlin’.” The sounds of his footsteps echoed down the hall.

            The clinking of instruments and the sound of doctors and nurses preparing for surgery were unnerving. Angela was once more going over the details of the procedure. It did little to ease Blake’s mind.

            “Once again I will tell you that this is minimally invasive. You have nothing to worry about Blake.” Angela said from her position to the left. Tipping her head back, Blake rested it against the operating table.

            “You are implanting things in my skull Angela. You let me worry about the procedure and you worry about doing a good job.” Angela let out a hearty laugh and moved something over Blake’s nose and mouth.

            “I will never understand you aversion to medical practice. Now count back from ten,” Blake hesitantly complied. 10, she closed her eyes. 9, she felt sleepy. 8, she was unconscious.

Ten years before

            It had to be a bomb. Unamused she bent down and looked at the countdown timer. One minute, just great. Pressing the communication device in her ear, Blake sighed.

            “Gentleman, the unknown object is a bomb.” She said calmly. Quietly she awaited the inevitably predictable reply from Jack. It was one of the few times that she, Jack, and Gabriel were all on the same mission. Jack was getting civilians to safety and Gabriel was tracking the terrorist down. Blake had been tasked with search and destroy.

            “Get the hell out of there and fall back to the rendezvous point,” Jack’s voice sounded over the com. It was so like him to worry, sure a bomb wasn’t ideal but it wasn’t really life threatening.

            “Why would I leave when I can just absorb the explosion?” She smarted back at him, “Really Jack it will be less hassle if I just deal with this now.” It was common sense. Blake absorbed what seemed like one explosion a week now days. Bending down she looked a little bit closer at the device. It was oddly shaped and rather small, but it was impeccably crafted.

            “Blake!” Jack barked in her ear. Rolling her eyes she looked to the sky and said a small prayer for patience.

            “Jack I will be fine. Are all the civilians evacuated from the building?” She asked him and checked the timer. Thirty seconds until detonation. A small canister attached to the top of the bomb caught her attention and all of the color drained out of her face. Hands shaking she pressed her fingers to the com. “It’s a bio weapon, Jack it’s a bioweapon. I am going to seal the doors and the air vents and keep this contained.” That’s why the bomb was so small, it didn’t need to be big to do damage.

            “Get out of there!” This time it was Gabriel’s voice in her ear.

            Air vents and door sealed, Blake braced herself with five seconds to go. The energy and heat from the explosion wouldn’t harm her but the toxin? The timer clicked down to zero and she took a deep breath in, hands taking in the first shockwave. The power she felt was exhilarating then the canister blew releasing a massive cloud of sickly green mist into the air. Coughing, Blake kept the explosion contained but fell to her knees. It felt like her skin was burning. Eyes watering there was nothing to do but wait for the effects to take hold. Within moments it wasn’t just her outside burning, it was the inside. Spasms gripped her and there were spots dancing across her vision. Blake hadn’t expected to die from a bomb…what terrified normal people was what made her special. It was as simple as breathing to contain all that power. The mist was a neuro toxin, that could hurt her if she didn’t get to Angela quick enough. They would have to have hazard suits on or pump the room clean before anyone could get to her. The prayer she sent to the heavens was one for mercy, to stop the pain. The room was almost dark, so Blake simply closed her eyes.

            When she awoke there was the sound of a heartrate monitor beeping in her ears. Everything in her body ached. Reaching up Blake touched the bandages wrapped around her eyes.

            “Blake leave those on,” Jack said grabbing her wrists. It was disorienting to hear his voice but to not see his face. Lower her hands back to her side, she sighed shakily.

            “What happened, did you manage to get the toxin pumped out of the building?” She asked. A hand cradled her head and gently sat her up enough so she could take a drink of water. Jack softly settled her head back against the pillows and made a rough sound.

            “Yes, we managed to get the toxin pumped out.” He paused and she could practically feel him mulling something over in his head. “Why didn’t you just leave when I told you to?” He gripped her hand tightly.

            “You know me, always have to be the hero.” She joked but it was easy to tell that something was wrong. “Why are you being a debbie downer? Angela clear got the neuro toxin out of my system; I’ll be right as rain in a few days.” Blake squeezed his hand. Jack was always clingy when she had a close call but this felt different. Sighing, he lowered the bars on the side of the bed and sat next to her. Winding his finger though her hair, he gently stroked it and offered soft companionship.

            “Your eyes were severely damaged, it’s irreversible.” It was just like Jack to simply rip the Band-Aid off. Pressing her lips together and taking a deep breath were all she could do. The idea of being blind terrified her. So she thought of Jack’s big blue eyes. She thought of the color of the lillies Gabriel gave her that were probably still sitting on her desk. She committed every color she could think of to memory.

            “Does this mean I can get a seeing eye dog?” She tried to joke but instead her voice just cracked, “I always wanted a dog,” Jack kissed her forehead and she felt a tear hit her skin.

            “You can have whatever you need to make this transition as easy as possible.”  It hit her then, she would have to quit Overwatch. What use was an infiltration specialist who couldn’t see.

            “I’m going to have to leave.” The panic was now reaching its peak, “I am going to have to pack my bags and move back home. Jack I haven’t been home in ten years! You know I cannot stand my mother.” Jack one more squeezed her hand. It was quality she admired in him, resolve.

            “Gabe is already working on that. Don’t worry we wouldn’t send you home,” With that she felt a little less like the world was ending.

            One week had gone by and everyone but Gabriel had come to see her. It was worrisome. Had her skin been damaged? There was no other explanation…maybe he just didn’t want to waste the effort on a blind girl. As they days went on Blake started getting more and more depressed. Without anything to look at, she would turn her attention to the nurses. They had the best gossip much like the recruits did. If you needed to know something all you had to do was just wait and listen. They talked about Jack coming to visit her. They talked about their boyfriends. They talked about every mundane topic possible before she heard mention of Gabriel’s name.

            “He was sent out on a mission. That’s all I know,” The lead nurse on her case stated. One of the other nurses, the one with a high pitched voice snorted.

            “They were together you know,” Squeaky said, “Reyes and Lutz. Probably been going on for years. My boyfriend who served under her said that they were the most indiscrete secret couple he had ever seen. Poor girl hasn’t seen him once. Not to mention that Morrison hasn’t had any luck convincing them to let her stay in Overwatch.” The bandages around her eyes were gone so the tears falling down her cheeks fell onto the bed spread. Sobs wracked her body and there was a numb loneliness that wouldn’t go away. The sound of foot falls approaching had her wiping away tears.

            “Ma’am are you alright?” The lead nurse asked her hand against Blake’s back. Sobbing even harder she clutched at the bed spread.

            “I can’t breathe!” She choked out between sobs. The nurse checked her pulse and breathing and made a soft sound.

            “You’re having a panic attack, I’ll talk to the doctor on call and have him get you some valium. Squeaky wasn’t far behind and took the other nurse’s place rubbing soothing circles on her back.

            Jack was on his way for his scheduled visit with Blake when he saw the nurses and doctor chatting frantically amongst themselves. The sound of loud uncontrolled sobbing was coming from Blake’s room.

            “What on earth is going on?” He snapped at the group. One of the nurses turned to him and gave him a sad look.

            “Miss Lutz has been crying for over an hour. Nothing we have tried has seemed to help and Doctor Ziegler is still in surgery. We don’t want to give her any more sedatives if we don’t have to.” It was then that he noticed Blake was out bed with a vase clutch tightly in her hand. She tossed it with considerable strength in their direction. It shattered into pieces near one of the nurse’s head. It was clear that all the progress they said she was making was mostly fictional.

            “I can hear you! All I do during the day is listen to you women talk about your boyfriends and other garbage. I know Gabriel hasn’t come to see me! I know I am going to lose my job! You don’t have to talk about it twenty feet from me and pretend you’re being secretive. I am fucking blind, the bomb didn’t make me deaf too! Now someone come and sedate me!” She seethed. Jack shot the nurses a dangerous look and hurried to Blake’s side. When he reached out to touch her she swatted his hand away with surprising accuracy. “Do not touch me.” Extending her leg and feeling for the bed she crawled in, all the while crying. The doctor came and injected an entire syringe worth of medicine into the line. Jack waited by her side for her to fall asleep. Slowly and painfully the sobs stopped and she drifted into dream land. Walking out of her room, he approached the nurses in military mode. Posture ridged, he pointed to the nurse in charge of his best friend’s care.

            “I suggest that you learn to watch what you say. Blake Lutz has an excellent ear and right now she shouldn’t hear anything that can upset her. If I hear one more word about you gossiping about her, I will have all of your jobs and get you blacklisted in the industry. Am I clear?” The nurses all nodded and scattered. Turning back, he took one last look at Blake. God he hoped things would get better soon.

            Things did not get better, they got much much worse. It seemed that Blake was simply refusing to get better and slipping into her own mind. Angela would help her into the shower and try and ease her pain. Anti-anxiety medicine was constantly being pumped through her IV. In the weeks that she had been in the hospital she had lost twenty pounds. Even when Jack told her that he had secured her a lead position as an operations strategist she did not respond. It was like talking to a brick wall. Every day she would lie in bed and her eyes would be trained on the window, as if she could see what was going on in the outside world. Jack could only hope that Gabriel would get back from his mission soon. He was on a Blackwatch mission hunting down the terrorist cell that designed the bomb that had blinded Blake. It was rage and hurt driven, but Jack understood why Gabriel needed to do it.

            Jack Morrison could remember the first time he and Gabriel saw Blake. They had been watching the new recruits train, they were two years older and wiser. She had been fast, so incredibly fast. Blake also had intelligence scores that would put most people to shame. What she lacked in physical strength she made up in will and a wit. Even jogging backwards and yelling insults at the other recruits she was faster than them. Gabriel chuckled and watched the drill sergeant roll his eyes at the young woman’s antics. There was no reason to keep her at such a basic level when she showed such advanced skills. No reason to keep her waiting.

            “Sir,” Morrison saluted, “We have orders to take recruit Lutz to the special operations barracks.” The drill sergeant quickly signed the papers and called Blake out of line.

            “Have fun with that one boys, she is literally the worse kind of soldier.” The sergeant turned away and went back to yelling at the less capable recruits. When Blake reached them she saluted and got a rather unusual look on her face.

            “You aren’t here to kick me out are you? Because I really cannot go back to being a simple farm girl I-” Jack’s eyebrow had shot up, the girl talked fast. Messy blond curls stuck out every which way from what would have been a normal bun under any other circumstance. The freckles that dotted her nose gave her a youthful appearance.

            “No, you’ve been selected to undergo specialized training.” Gabriel had explained to her. She blinked her big green eyes in surprise.

            “Oh thank god!”

            Angela was holding a tray of food trying to coax Blake into eating. Jack watched from the sidelines. That was when Gabriel walked through the door quietly and took in the sight before him. Slinging his pack to the ground he walked to the bed and sat down on the edge. Angela shot Jack a nervous look. Reaching out Gabriel gripped Blake’s chin and pressed his lips to hers.

            “Stop being stubborn and eat.” Gabriel’s voice was gruff and if you didn’t know him the statement would have seemed incredibly rude. Blake’s lower lip started to tremble and Angela was headed straight for the syringe filled with that day’s sedative of choice. Kicking off his shoes, Gabriel lifted the covers and squished into bed next to Blake. Jack was struck by how the two contrasted each other. Blake was pale while Gabriel skin was dark and kissed by the sun. Blake was impossibly small and Gabriel was a wall of muscle. Leaning her head into his shoulder, she cried softly and clutched at his shirt. Standing and walking to the door, Jack waved for Angela to follow him. This wasn’t for them.

            Gabriel shoved a spoonful of jello into Blake’s mouth and made sure she swallowed. It didn’t take genius to know that she was mad at him for leaving. Yet going after the people who made the device had given him enough peace of mind to come back and be with her.

            “You’re a real jackass, you know that?” She grunted and took a swig of the coffee he handed her. Gabriel made noise of confirmation and brushed a mass of curls away from her face. “And you’re selfish.” She took a another bite of her jello by herself this time. “And I am really fucking mad at you.” Gabriel didn’t dignify her words with a response just kissed her temple. She smelled like a hospital; he missed the scent of honey and citrus that had trailed her around since he had met her.

            “I will get you out of the hospital tomorrow. Over the years I built up a lot of sick time. You and I are going to go to Los Angeles.” She set down the cup of jello and arched a brow at him.

            “Why are we going to-” she trailed off in realization, “Oh no, there is no way Mrs. Reyes is seeing me in a state like this. I will not have your absolutely wonderful mother dote on me.” Gabriel snorted and tossed the cup in the trashcan.

            “After she found out, it was made clear to me that you would be coming home with me for a few months to heal.” It was hard to argue with Mrs. Reyes.

Now

            This time when she awoke in a hospital bed, Blake’s entire body didn’t feel like it was dying. To her surprise she and horror she could feel vibrations of people moving about the hospital hear them. It was almost like someone had installed sonar inside her head. Where there sound there was something akin to sight. There was a chair to her left, a bedside table to her right, and someone sitting in the chair.

            “Well ain’t that something,” She murmured. The figure stirred and she could feel the movement.

            “How’s the new implants working for you darlin’?” It was Jesse and Blake could barely contain her excitement. Sure she couldn’t see color or people’s faces but she would never need a cane again.

            “I can tell you anything you want about this room or the hallway outside.” She smiled genuinely for the first time in a long time. “Jesse when I get out of here we need to start training immediately!” Jesse’s warm laugh had an interesting feel to it.

            “Darlin’ I am in the best shape of my life. You on the other hands are gonna be training your ass off. How long has it been since you ran a mile or did a pull up?” He asked her playfully. Scowling at him, she cracked her knuckles. It was easier to tell where to focus her eyes now that she could sense where his head was.

            “A decade but I think I am up for the challenge.”

             

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am having such a blast writing this. I appreciate the feedback I received on the last chapter. I love hearing from you guys! Fun fact Enstrom's toffee is a real place, if you're ever in Colorado go check it out.  
> -Avery

**Author's Note:**

> I had a ton of fun righting this and cannot wait to get started on the next chapter. Feedback is always welcome.  
> -Avery


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